December
9
2020
Polyurethane: An Unbeatable Solution for Clogging and Abrasion
Polyurethane is a versatile, highly malleable material with nearly endless potential. It’s also very tough, which makes it ideal for crafting original, effective solutions to prevent costly shutdowns.
At Polyplast, we love challenges. So when a customer asks us to make a custom part, we’re all in! We specialize in developing innovative solutions, so we welcome opportunities to think outside the (polyurethane) box!
Need solutions? We’re here for you!
Custom solutions are our specialty, and we thrive on new challenges. We love finding ways to solve your problems and let you continue your work.
Four or five years ago, a mining client asked us to find a solution for a pipe that kept clogging. We needed to create a lining for the inside of a dust collector. The pipe was clogging when rock dust built up, especially in the spring and fall, when the dust was slightly wet and sticky. Naturally, this clogging was weakening the collector’s suction. The dust was being removed with a pressure washer. However, in other places where more dust was being collected, premature wear was causing perforations in the steel pipes.
The solution we created for this customer is still in use and is showing almost no signs of wear! You can even see the marks made when the part was moulded by Polyplast, even though rock dust has been constantly wearing against it for years. Our solution is holding up despite the constant abrasion.
We now offer this product as a solution for abrasion and clogging.
Two birds, one stone
This solution was initially created to solve a clogging problem. However, during another project we discovered that the rock cement used to make rock fill doesn’t stick to our polyurethane. We therefore recommended that our client use the material inside its pipes.
This solution is mainly used in places where the pipe changes direction, like elbows and Y joints. The changes in direction cause turbulence that wears heavily on the inside of the steel pipes. Without a lining, the pipes can be worn through after just a few weeks of use. Even if the pipes are made of a special steel alloy, they wear down quickly because they’re effectively being constantly sandblasted in the same spot. Naturally, that leads to breakage.
However, it turns out that a polyurethane lining helps stop this abrasion, as well as clogging.
Widespread use
We found that this solution is being widely used to replace the natural rubber linings that were originally designed for that purpose. Polyurethane has a clear advantage: its strength and durability mean that it has a much longer lifespan, giving the parts it covers a longer lifespan as well. In fact, it can quadruple a solution’s lifespan!
This use for polyurethane is quickly gaining in popularity and making its mark. The durability and effectiveness of the material make it an increasingly attractive solution.
Read more in our next blog post! We’ll talk about how this lining is applied to pipes, how much time and money it saves, what’s happening at Polyplast, and much more!
And of course, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need your own polyurethane solution: https://www.polyplasts.com/en/contact
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_polyurethane_applications